Runaway and homeless youth are at risk for HIV based upon their rates of substance use, particularly injection drug use, unprotected sexual intercourse, multiple partners, and sexually transmitted diseases. Risk increases as the time away from home increases. STRIVE is a family intervention aimed at increasing residential stability, decreasing runaway episodes, and decreasing HIV risk. Families are randomly assigned to a cognitive-behavioral skills-building intervention consisting of five weekly sessions delivered at family homes, or are assigned to standard care. Sessions are aimed at increasing problem solving, role clarity, and positive interactions. It is hypothesized that the intervention will result in improved family dynamics, less runaway behavior, and less risky behavior.

Adolescent and parent attend a 5-session family-oriented cognitive-behavioral intervention aimed at giving runaway youths and their parents the tools to effectively deal with conflict.

Placebo Comparator: Control

Behavioral: STRIVE family intervention

Adolescent and parent attend a 5-session family-oriented cognitive-behavioral intervention aimed at giving runaway youths and their parents the tools to effectively deal with conflict.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

12 Years to 17 Years

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Youth: Age 12-17 who ran away or were told to leave home within the past 6 months. Must provide assent and parent/guardian must provide informed consent.

Parent/guardian: must be parent/guardian of participating youth who ran away. Must provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

Youth: total time away from home exceeds 12 months. Obvious cognitive impairment. Sexual or physical abuse from the parent/guardian. Lack of assent/consent.

Parent/guardian: obvious cognitive impairment. Lack of consent.

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.